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These horses have qualified to run in the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs

Cameron Drummond, Lexington Herald-Leader on

Published in Horse Racing

LEXINGTON, Ky. — All of the meaningful qualification races have now been run on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

The final qualifying race of consequence for the Derby took place Tuesday night in Lexington. Burnham Square won the Grade 1, $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland to secure the top spot on the Derby qualifying leaderboard.

While there is still one more qualifying race to be run before next month’s Kentucky Derby — Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington, also at Keeneland — none of the horses in that race are able to earn enough qualifying points to nab a spot in the Derby starting gate.

As such, the likely 20-horse field for the 151st edition of the Kentucky Derby — to be run May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville — is now set.

Of course, this list of horses is fluid. Connections still have plenty of time to decide if they want to enter their horses in the 1 1/4-mile Run for the Roses or not.

For example, following Tuesday’s running of the Blue Grass at Keeneland, trainer Brian Lynch cast doubt on the Kentucky Derby participation of Owen Almighty, who is securely in the Derby field and 12th on the qualifying leaderboard.

With this in mind, here’s a look at the projected field for the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

Which horses from the American Road to the Kentucky Derby qualified?

The top 17 points-earning horses from the American Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying pathway have a spot in the Derby starting gate, if their connections choose to use it.

The following horses are in position to run in the 151st Kentucky Derby.

— 1: Burnham Square: 130 points, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. and trained by Ian Wilkes.

— 2: Sandman: 129 points, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Mark Casse.

— 3: Journalism: 122.5 points, ridden by Umberto Rispoli and trained by Michael McCarthy.

— 4: Rodriguez: 121.25 points, ridden by Mike Smith and trained by Bob Baffert.

— 5: Tiztastic: 119 points, ridden by Joel Rosario and trained by Steve Asmussen.

— 6: Tappan Street: 110 points, ridden by Luis Saez and trained by Brad Cox.

Note: Saez suffered an injury during an undercard race at Keeneland on Tuesday.

— 7: Sovereignty: 110 points, ridden by Manny Franco and trained by Bill Mott.

— 8: Final Gambit: 100 points, ridden by Luan Machado and trained by Brad Cox.

— 9: Coal Battle: 95 points, ridden by Juan Vargas and trained by Lonnie Briley.

— 10: Chunk of Gold: 75 points, ridden by Jareth Loveberry and trained by Ethan West.

— 11: Citizen Bull: 71.25 points, ridden by Martin Garcia and trained by Bob Baffert.

— 12: Owen Almighty: 65 points, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Brian Lynch.

 

— 13: East Avenue: 60 points, ridden by Luan Machado and trained by Brendan Walsh.

— 14: Publisher: 60 points, ridden by Flavien Prat and trained by Steve Asmussen.

— 15: American Promise: 55 points, ridden by Nik Juarez and trained by D. Wayne Lukas.

— 16: River Thames: 50 points, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and trained by Todd Pletcher.

— 17: Flood Zone: 50 points, ridden by Florent Geroux and trained by Brad Cox.

Which horses from the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby qualified?

Two horses from the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying series are expected to run in next month’s Derby.

Those horses are Admire Daytona (JPN) and Heart of Honor (GB).

Admire Daytona won the UAE Derby and Heart of Honor ran second in that race.

Last year, Forever Young (JPN) became the first horse from the UAE Derby — a race that has existed since 2000 — to finish in the money in the Kentucky Derby. That result also made Forever Young the first Japanese horse to ever record a top-three Kentucky Derby finish.

Which horse from the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby qualified?

The Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying pathway winner, Luxor Cafe, will also be competing in next month’s Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. Luxor Cafe won the Fukuryu Stakes in March to secure his spot in the Derby.

A Kentucky-bred horse, Luxor Cafe is a son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Which horses from the also-eligible list could draw into the Kentucky Derby?

Obviously, the also-eligible list has not been finalized yet for the Kentucky Derby.

But, we know which horses are in position to be on that list based on the qualifying points earned on the American Road to the Derby.

Those horses are:

— Flying Mohawk: 50 points, ridden by Joseph Ramos and trained by D. Whitworth Beckman.

— Grande: 50 points, ridden by Dylan Davis and trained by Todd Pletcher.

— Madaket Road: 46 points, ridden by Mike Smith and trained by Bob Baffert.

— Built: 45 points, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Wayne Catalano.


©2025 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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